Automatic trainline connector

ABSTRACT

A railway automatic trainline connector has a connector head provided with a pair of forwardly extending and outwardly diverging gathering wings, with one of the wings being provided with a guide rib facing the horizontal plane containing the longitudinal axis of the connector.

United States Patent [72] Inventors DonaldWlllison Lyndhurst; Kenneth L.Depenti, Mayiield Heights, Ohio [21] Appl No. 872,036

[22] Filed Oct. 29, 1969 {45] Patented May 25, 1971 [73] AssigneeMidland-Ross Corporation Cleveland, Ohio [54] AUTOMATIC TRAINLINECONNECTOR 6 Claims, 14 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 213/76,

285/63 [51] Int.Cl B6lg7/06 mmlll Primary ExaminerDrayton E. HoffmanAttorneys-Henry Kozak and Woodrow W. Portz ABSTRACT: A railway automatictrainline connector has a connector head provided with a pair offorwardly extending and outwardly diverging gathering wings, with one ofthe wings being provided with a guide rib facing the horizontal planecontaining the longitudinal axis of the connector.

w '7 PATENTED HAY25I97I 35 0399 sum 2 or 2 cm mug y/ 95" m mausauAUTOMATIC TRAINLINE CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ExistingRobinson type trainline connectors that are pro vided on railwayvehicles having a length of less than 60 feet are generally capable ofautomatically aligning themselves along their longitudinal central axesduring car coupling operations on sharp railway curves. With carbuilders presently constructing railway vehicles in excess of 60 feetand coupler manufacturers increasing the length of the coupler shank ofthe associated railway car coupler to overcome derailment problemsassociated with increased railway vehicle body length, the longitudinaldistance between the coupling line of the car coupler and the adjacentrailway car truck center has been increased. Because of this latterincrease, two opposed trainline connectors of the above type are nowgenerally disposed at greater angles of deviation from each other duringcoupling operations on sharp railway curves than heretofore encountered.Under such adverse conditions of misalignment, the gatheringcharacteristic of this type of a connector is insufficient to prevent ajamming or binding of two opposed connectors approaching each otherduring a coupling operation.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a railway automatictrainline connector of the type having a pair of outwardly diverginggathering wings with supplemental guide means on one of the wings forimproving the gathering characteristics of the connector.

Another object is to provide an additional bearing surface on theconnector head to assist in the coupling operation of two similarlyopposed trainline connectors that are horizontally, vertically andangularly misaligned with respect to each other.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, with respect to which theinvention is described below:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a railway trainline connector containingimproved guide means for aligning two similarly opposed connectors;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the connector shown in FIG. 1, with theconnector mounted upon a support that is rigidly connected to a bracket;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation, as viewed from the left of FIG.2, showing the front view of the connector head;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the connector illustratedin FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top view of the connector illustrated in FIG. 2;I

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the guidingwings of the connector illustrating the improved guide means;

FIG. 7 and 8 are enlarged sectional views taken along lines 7-7 and 8-8in FIG. 6 showing the shape of the guiding wing; and

FIG. 9 through 14 are fragmentary plan views of two opposed connectorsillustrating various stages of automatic connection during couplingoperations of two opposed railway car couplers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, atrainline connector 25 is shown yieldably mounted at its base 26 upon asupport 27 for automatically connecting an airline 28 of one railway carwith a corresponding airline of an adjacent railway car. Support 27 isrigidly mounted to a downwardly extending bracket 29 that is connectedto an associated railway car coupler (not shown). The connector isyieldably supported along a general longitudinal central axis L-L and ispermitted to move to the various longitudinal and angular positionsrequired during service as described in Assignees copending US. Pat.application Ser. No. 760,912, filed Sept. 19, 1968 in the name ofWilliam .I. Metzger. Connector head 33, in its uncoupled position,

is normally disposed forward of the coupling line C-C of the supportingcar coupler. In this position the connector will automatically couplewith an opposed mating connector when two adjacent railway cars arebrought together for the purpose of coupling.

Connector head 33 is, with the exception of one corner thereof,substantially rectangular in outline as viewed from the front, as inFIG. 3. The forward facing portion of head 33 is defined by upper andlower coplanar faces 34 and 35, and a rearwardly depressed planar face36. An opening 37 is provided in the head in coaxial alignment with theL-L axis for receiving the terminal portion of an airline fitting 38.The fitting is removably mounted to the connector by a pin 39 in amanner well known in the art. Fitting 38 carries at its forward end agasket 40 that projects through the connector head for engagement with asimilar gasket of an opposing mating connector when the two connectorsare in a coupled relationship. When two connectors are in a coupledcondition, faces 34 and 35 of one connector are in abutting engagementwith cor-- responding faces of the mating connector to maintain theheads of both connectors parallel to the coupling line C-C of the twoopposed coupled railway car couplers.

Connector head 33 is also provided with diagonally spaced vertical sidebearing surfaces 43 and 44, and diagonally spaced guide wings 45 and 46.Wings 45 and 46 diverge in vertical and horizontal directions as theyextend forwardly from the sides of the head and'serve to align twosimilarly opposing connectors approaching each other in .a couplingoperation under conditions of vertical, lateral and angular misalignmentof the respective central axes of the connectors.

As best viewed in FIGS. 3, 6, 7 and 8, wing 45 extends laterally andforwardly of head 33 in a downward direction. The wing is angularlyshaped in cross section and comprises leg portions 47 and 48. Legportions 47 and 48 extend the full length of the wing and form the topand side portions thereof. Leg portion 47, adjacent to head 33, isprovided with a lateral shoulder segment 49 having a top surface 50which extends both forwardly and rearwardly of face 36. Surface 50 isparallel to and in close proximity to the horizontal plane of the headthat contains the horizontal axis LL and is adapted to engage duringcoupling operations, with a similar surface of an opposing connector.Shoulder 49 merges with a curved segment 51 having a convex surface 52.As seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, segment SI curves downwardly and away fromthe longitudinal axis L-L and merges with a tapering segment 54 having aflat surface 55 that extends to the forward end of the wing.

Leg portion 48 of wing 45, commences from face 36 of the head as acurved segment 58 having a convex surface 59 and continues forwardly toapproximately the midpoint of the wing. Surface 59 faces thelongitudinal vertical plane of the head and blends into a flat surface60 formed on a tapering segment 61 that extends to the end of the wing.

Wing 45, as best seen in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, is further provided with aguide rib 65 which extends laterally outwardly from the edge of legportion 47 and has a ridge portion 66 commencing forwardly of segment49, reaching a maximum height of approximately the line 7-7 location andgradually decreases in height towards the end of the wing. For purposesof illustration, the area defined as the rib 65 is shown in phantomcross section in FIGS. 7 and 8. Rib 65 extends forwardly from shouldersegment 49 to approximately the midpoint of segment 54 where it blendsback into theedge of portion 47. Ridge portion 66, forwardly of shouldersegment 49, provides a concave surface 67 that extends above surfaces50, 52 and 55. Surface 67 provides supplemental guiding means for theconnector and facilitates coupling of similarly opposed connectors whenthe connectors are in a condition of extreme vertical and angularmisalignment.

Wing 46, as seen in FIGS. 3; 4 and 5, extends laterally and forwardly ofhead 33 in an upwardly direction. Wing 46 is best described as aninverted mirror image of wing 45, with the guide rib 65 omitted. Thatis, the inverted mirror image of wing 45 extends upwardly and laterallyoutwardly from the head 33 with portion 47a having downwardly facingconvexly curved surfaces 50a, 52a and 55a. The inverted mirror image ofportion 48 appears as a vertically disposed portion 48a providing alaterally facing curved plane containing convexly curved side surface58a and flat surface 60a. It will be understood, therefore, that thevarious surfaces of wing 46 are similar to the surfaces disposed on wing45 with leg portion 47a comprising segments 49a, 51a and 54a, and withleg portion 48a comprising segments 58a and 61a.

FIG. 9 illustrates two opposed connectors embodying the inventionapproaching each other during a coupling operation. For purposes ofexplanation, the two opposed connectors and their corresponding elementswill be distinguished from each other by adding the numeral l before thenumerals of one of the mating connectors. The connectors 25 and 125 areangularly disposed relative to each other with connector 25 beingvertically offset from connector 125 in such a manner that surface 55aon wing 46 of connector 25 is first adapted to slidably engage surface155 on wing 145 of connector 125.

As the connectors move toward each other, wing 46 slides over wing 145to partially align the connectors both vertically and horizontally.Continued coupling movement of the two connectors causes surface 52a onwing 46 to engage both curved surface 167 of ridge 166 and surface 152on wing 145. As the connectors advance further toward each other, ridge166 function as a guiding means to assist in guiding the opposedconnectors laterally into alignment. Ridge 166 provides such guidingaction that as surface 52a on connector 25 overrides wing 145 onconnector 125, sufficient lateral alignment of the connectors occurs.Further movement of the connectors toward each other, as shown in FIG.10, aligns the connectors sufficiently'to cause surface 59 on wing 45 toengage vertical side bearing surface 144 on connector head 133 ofconnector 125 and surface 159 on wing 145 to engage vertical sidebearing surface 44 on connector head 33. Prior to the engagement of theopposed faces 34 and 134 of the mating connector heads, surfaces 50 and500 on both wings of connector 25 cooperate with the associated surfaces150 and 1500 on both wings of the opposed connector, while the curvedsurfaces 67 and 167 on wings45 and 145, respectively, cooperate withportions of surfaces 150a and 50a on wings'l46 and 46, respectively, toalign the connectors in such a manner than the last inch or so oflongitudinal movement is substantially a straight-in movement alonglongitudinal axis L-L of the connectors.

FIG. 11 illustrates another condition of angular misalignment of the twoopposed connectors wherein surface 160a of wing 146 on connector 125 isadapted to first slidably engage vertical side bearing surface 43 onconnector head 33 of connector 25 at a point denoted as 70 on FIG. 3. Asthe connectors continue to advance toward each other, surface 52a onwing 46 progressively engages surfaces 152 and 167 on the matingconnector to effect vertical alignment of the connectors. During themovement of the connector heads into vertical alignment, ridge 166assists in guiding the heads laterally. Further movement of theconnectors toward'each other permits the opposed vertical edges of faces34 and 134 to engage as seen in FIG. 12. This engagement results in anoffcenter longitudinal coupling force which acts to align the connectorsalong their longitudinal central axes to complete the couplingoperation.

Under another condition of extreme angular misalignment of two opposedconnectors, the upper horizontal edges of faces 34 and 134 of the twoopposed connector heads assist in the alignment of the connectors. FIG.13 illustrates a vertical offset condition wherein surface 160 on wing145 of connector 125 is adapted to engage the extreme outermost endportion 71, as seen in FIG. 3, of vertical side bearing surface 44 onconnector head 33. As this engagement occurs, the opposed connectors areurged laterally toward each other as previously explained in connectionwith FIG. 11. In addition, however, each of the opposed connector headsis urged downwardly so that their opposed faces diverge in a downwarddirection. As the opposed connectors continue to advance towards eachother, peripheral corner edge 72 on upper face 34, as seen in FIGS. 3and 14, engages the opposed face 134 adjacent to vertical side bearingsurface 143. At this point of the coupling operation, the longitudinalcentral axes of the mating connectors are in a state of both horizontaland vertical angular misalignment. With the connectors disposed as shownin FIG. 14, the lateral component of forces at the point of contact 72between the faces tends to urge the connectors toward a couplingrelationship. That is, the offcenter longitudinal coupling force betweenfaces 34 and 134 of the opposed connectors urges the connectors intohorizontal alignment wherein the upper horizontal edges of the faces arein engagement. Thereafterthe connectors pivot about the engaged upperhorizontal edges of the faces to align the connectors vertically,thereby completing the coupling operation.

Thus the improved trainline connector described provides an automaticconnection between similarly opposed connectors under all conditions ofservice by improving the gathering characteristics of the connectors,while at the same time per- 7 mitting a tight'connection between theopposed faces of the connector heads.

We claim:

1. In an automatic trainline connector mounted on a support whichyieldably supports the connector along a general longitudinal centralaxis and which is adapted to permit movement of the connector in variousdirections, said connector having a head provided with a pair ofvertically spaced coplanar faces facing in the forward direction forengagement with a similar pair of faces of an opposing mating connector;said head having diagonally spaced outwardly diverging guide wingsdisposed on opposite sides of a horizontal plane passing through saidaxis, said wings being adapted for engagement with the wings and head ofan opposing similar connector to effect horizontal and verticalalignment of said connectors during coupling operations, each of saidwings being angularly shaped in cross section and comprising two legportions, one of said leg portions having a continuous surface extendingthe length of the wing and facing a vertical plane passing through saidaxis, said second leg portion having a continuous surface extending thelength of the wing and facing said horizontal plane; the improvementwhich comprises:

A. a guide rib on one of said wings, said rib extending laterallyoutwardly from the edge of said second leg portion, said rib having aridge portion extending lengthwise of the wing and being adapted toengage the second leg portion of the opposing wing of a mating connectorto effect alignment of the connectors along their longitudinal axes inadvance of the engagement of their opposed faces.

2. In an automatic trainline connector according to claim 1 wherein:

A. said second leg portion comprises a shoulder segment disposedlaterally adjacent said head, said shoulder segment extending forwardlyof the head and merging with a curved segment that terminates with atapering segment; and

B. said guide rib extends along the edge of said second leg portion fromsaid shoulder segment to said tapering segment, said ridge portionhaving a surface lying above the continuous surface of said second legportion to constitute supplemental guiding means.

3. In an automatic trainline connector according to claim ll wherein:

A. said rib is disposed on the wing spaced below said horizontal plane.

4. In an automatic trainline connector according to claim ll wherein:

A. said head is provided with diagonally spaced-apart verticallyparallel side bearing surfaces on opposite sides of said vertical andhorizontal planes, each of said bearing surfaces commencing from anadjacent one of said wings and in proximity to said horizontal plane andextending to the outermost ends of the head; and

B. said faces of said head comprising an upper face and a lower face onopposite sides of said horizontal plane, said upper face having ahorizontal peripheral edge adjacent to the outermost end of said head.

5. In an automatic trainline connector according claim I wherein:

A. said head is provided with diagonally spaced-apart verticallyparallel side bearing surfaces on opposite sides of said vertical andhorizontal planes, each of said bearing surfaces commencing from anadjacent one of said wings and in proximity to said horizontal plane andextending to the outermost ends of the head, each of said bearingsurfaces being adapted to receive in sliding engaging relation the firstleg portion of the wing on the other side of the vertical plane of anopposing mating connector to effect horizontal alignment of theconnectors about their longitudinal axes in advance to the engagement ofthe faces of the opposed mating connectors; and

B. one of said bearing surfaces having a length greater than the lengthof said other bearing surface.

6. An automatic trainline connector having a head which is generallyrectangular in outline with its major and minor axes arranged verticallyand horizontally respectively, a lateral guide wing secured to one sideof the head above said minor axis, said wing extending forwardly fromsaid head in a direction upwardly and away from said minor axis, asecond lateral guide wing secured to the other side of head below saidminor axis, said second wing extending forwardly from said head in adirection downwardly and away from said minor axis, each of said wingsbeing angularly shaped in transverse cross section and comprising twoleg portions, one of said leg portions having a continuous surfaceextending the length of the wing and facing a horizontal plane passingthrough said minor axis, a guide rib extending laterally outwardly fromthe edge of said last-named leg portion on the wing disposed below saidhorizontal plane, and said rib having a ridge portion extendinglengthwise of the wing and above said continuous surface.

1. In an automatic trainline connector mounted on a support whichyieldably supports the connector along a general longitudinal centralaxis and which is adapted to permit movement of the connector in variousdirections, said connector having a head provided with a pair ofvertically spaced coplanar faces facing in the forward direction forengagement with a similar pair of faces of an opposing mating connector;said head having diagonally spaced outwardly diverging guide wingsdisposed on opposite sides of a horizontal plane passing through saidaxis, said wings being adapted for engagement with the wings and head ofan opposing similar connector to effect horizontal and verticalalignment of said connectors during coupling operations, each of saidwings being angularly shaped in cross section and comprising two legportions, one of said leg portions having a continuous surface extendingthe length of the wing and facing a vertical plane passing through saidaxis, said second leg portion having a continuous surface extending thelength of the wing and facing said horizontal plane; the improvementwhich comprises: A. a guide rib on one of said wings, said rib extendinglaterally outwardly from the edge of said second leg portion, said ribhaving a ridge portion extending lengthwise of the wing and beingadapted to engage the second leg portion of the opposing wing of amating connector to effect alignment of the connectors along theirlongitudinal axes in advance of the engaGement of their opposed faces.2. In an automatic trainline connector according to claim 1 wherein: A.said second leg portion comprises a shoulder segment disposed laterallyadjacent said head, said shoulder segment extending forwardly of thehead and merging with a curved segment that terminates with a taperingsegment; and B. said guide rib extends along the edge of said second legportion from said shoulder segment to said tapering segment, said ridgeportion having a surface lying above the continuous surface of saidsecond leg portion to constitute supplemental guiding means.
 3. In anautomatic trainline connector according to claim 1 wherein: A. said ribis disposed on the wing spaced below said horizontal plane.
 4. In anautomatic trainline connector according to claim 1 wherein: A. said headis provided with diagonally spaced-apart vertically parallel sidebearing surfaces on opposite sides of said vertical and horizontalplanes, each of said bearing surfaces commencing from an adjacent one ofsaid wings and in proximity to said horizontal plane and extending tothe outermost ends of the head; and B. said faces of said headcomprising an upper face and a lower face on opposite sides of saidhorizontal plane, said upper face having a horizontal peripheral edgeadjacent to the outermost end of said head.
 5. In an automatic trainlineconnector according claim 1 wherein: A. said head is provided withdiagonally spaced-apart vertically parallel side bearing surfaces onopposite sides of said vertical and horizontal planes, each of saidbearing surfaces commencing from an adjacent one of said wings and inproximity to said horizontal plane and extending to the outermost endsof the head, each of said bearing surfaces being adapted to receive insliding engaging relation the first leg portion of the wing on the otherside of the vertical plane of an opposing mating connector to effecthorizontal alignment of the connectors about their longitudinal axes inadvance to the engagement of the faces of the opposed mating connectors;and B. one of said bearing surfaces having a length greater than thelength of said other bearing surface.
 6. An automatic trainlineconnector having a head which is generally rectangular in outline withits major and minor axes arranged vertically and horizontallyrespectively, a lateral guide wing secured to one side of the head abovesaid minor axis, said wing extending forwardly from said head in adirection upwardly and away from said minor axis, a second lateral guidewing secured to the other side of head below said minor axis, saidsecond wing extending forwardly from said head in a direction downwardlyand away from said minor axis, each of said wings being angularly shapedin transverse cross section and comprising two leg portions, one of saidleg portions having a continuous surface extending the length of thewing and facing a horizontal plane passing through said minor axis, aguide rib extending laterally outwardly from the edge of said last-namedleg portion on the wing disposed below said horizontal plane, and saidrib having a ridge portion extending lengthwise of the wing and abovesaid continuous surface.